On 21 February Ms Sakalouskaya, a judge of the Supreme Court, ruled to liquidate the public association Belarusian Women’s Movement Adradzhennie Aichyny (Homeland’s Revival). The liquidation had been based on the inaccuracies in the recordkeeping and in the minutes of the organization’s governing board found by the Justice Ministry consultant A.Kharyton, as well as the failure to promptly provide information required by the Justice Ministry about the activities of the association.

Also, the court ruling argues that the organization has violated its own charter during the organization and conduct of the round table seminar Issues of Gender Balance in Contemporary Society in December of the last year, as well as when discussing the issues of education work with children at a sitting of the organization’s Board.

Zinaida Hantsuk, leader of the BWM Adradzhennie Aichyny says that from the very start it was clear what the court ruling would be like. “We know there is an order requiring liquidation of our organization on account of some of our activities. That is why we did not even attempt a strategy of defending ourselves because the presence of the political order overshadows all the other legal aspects of the case. Knowing that none of the public associations could defend in court their right to exist, we do not think it expedient to actively withstand the liquidation decision which in fact had already been passed. Once we have these reasons reversed, we’ll immediately face new grievances, said Ms Hantsuk in an interview with a belngo.info correspondent.

PA Belarusian Women’s Movement Adradzhennie Aichyny was founded in 1997. Its focuses on helping women implement their political, civil and social rights. The public association worked toward preventing trade in women, enhancing employment opportunity for women, voluntary and welfare assistance for the needy and disabled, as well as developing leadership qualities in Belarusian women and intensifying women’s public activity.

It should be noted that Judge Sakalouskaya once already passed a ruling that liquidated the Youth Information Center in 2001.